Just the Way You Are
by Zenappa
Summary: Staring around at a full room, his voice cracked. He looked down at the ground, trying to regain some of the feelings that he had lost. There was nothing could describe what he was feeling right now. The pain ached like nothing he had ever felt before for he knew that this was te end; there was no Hela, no limbo, this was it. There was no turning back. She was gone.


"Illyana Rasputina."

Staring around at a full room, his voice cracked. He looked down at the ground, trying to regain some of the feelings that he had lost. There was nothing could describe what he was feeling right now. The pain ached like nothing he had ever felt before for he knew that this was te end; there was no Hela, no limbo, this was it. There was no turning back. She was gone.

And yet, they forced him to stand up on the alter, staring down at her casket. It was the worst feeling in the world. He had to put on a brave face even though a few tears leaked down his cheeks, unable to stop all of the sadness. He glanced back up at the crowd, trying somehow to concentrate. The emotions threatened to overwhelm him and he averted his eyes once more, staring at the open casket lying before him.

She looked just as beautiful in death as she did alive. While her eyes were closed, he knew the bright color still remained and a hint of a smirk still played on her face. He sighed, not even knowing where to begin. He knew the crowd expected something great from him, he was her husband after all, but truth be told, his grief overwhelmed him completely and he never thought about the wonderful words that he could speak. His silver tongue failed him in his time of need.

He took another deep breath, staring at her perfect appearance. "Her eyes made the stars look like they're not shining," he began, just babbling out whatever came to mind. "Her hair laid perfectly without her trying. She's so beautiful, and I told her everyday."

He thought back on the days when it was just the two of them. They always talked about running away together, away from the rest of the world, but it never became a reality. He would run his fingers through her hair, loving the feel of the blonde wisps through his nimble fingers while staring into her deep eyes, never wanting to look away. They didn't have to be doing anything. Just having each other in one another's arms was the best way to spend a day.

"I know when I compliment her, she didn't believe me," he continued. "It's so sad to think that she didn't see what I saw."

He called her darling, she called him love, the pet names were never ending. But anytime he tried to give her a true compliment, she always flipped it back on him. If he claimed that she was beautiful, she would say that he was too handsome for her. If he announced her perfection, she would shrug and say that he was more perfect. It was never ending indeed.

"Every time she asked me do I look okay, I would say," he said, heaving a shaky breath, "when I see your face, there's not a thing that I would change. Because you're amazing, just the way you are."

She was the definition of perfection. He always made jokes with others, mostly Domino and Tyler, about looking up gullible in the dictionary and finding someone's picture. But for perfection, he knew it to be true. Finding someone who was perfect was a difficult task; it was all in the eyes of the beholder, true, but he had never found someone as perfect as she. He wouldn't want her to change for the world.

"And when you smiled, the whole world stopped and stared for awhile, because you're amazing just the way you are."

He bit his lip, not sure if he was going to be able to continue. He took a look at all of the familiar faces in the audience, staring up at him and it gave him strength to go on.

"Her lips, I used to kiss them all day if she'd let me. Her laugh, she hated but I thought it was sexy. She's so beautiful and I told her everyday."

He tried not to think of them all the time, but he loved to simply look at them. She had that ability to put her lips anywhere on his body and be able to arouse him to the point of oblivion. It was a gift, some called it. There was no one else like her. Every time they kissed, it was like sparks went off. Fireworks continued to explode and it never stopped. Some days were the best when they just laid in bed, watching the rain pour and kissed each other, wrapping one another's arms around each other. No matter what she did, she managed to make it perfect.

He smiled at the thoughts flooding through his mind, "Oh you know I never asked her to change. If perfect is what she searched for, then she stayed the same."

It all came full circle continuously. He never wanted her to change, she was perfect just the way she was. It was all the same thing but it was worth repeating.

"Every time she asked me do I look okay, I would say," he said, "when I see your face, there's not a thing that I would change. Because you're amazing, just the way you are."

There wasn't even a pause as he continued, "And when you smiled, the whole world stopped and stared for awhile, because you're amazing just the way you are."

Oh yes, some things were worth repeating several times over. He held back more tears as he stole another glance at her casket, the sunlight glinting off of her pale skin. His voice got caught in his throat and he coughed once, trying to compose himself quickly.

His mind was shutting itself down from the pain. He realized that he had to finish this quickly if he wanted to make it back to his seat before the waterfall of tears emerged from the depth of his green eyes. "The way you were," he whispered over and over to himself. "You're amazing, just the way you were."

He glanced back up at the audience, not bothering to hide the emotions and the sadness showing clear as day upon his face. "When I saw her face, there wasn't a single thing I would change. Because she was amazing, just the way she is."

He nodded once, excusing himself from the alter, not caring if he covered everything that he was supposed to. There was not enough time in the world to say everything that they possibly went through together. The list was endless. The tears finally appeared from the inside of his eyes and poured down his cold cheeks as he stopped in front of the open casket. He took in all of her beautiful features one last time before leaning down and pressing one last kiss to her lips.

"I love you Illyana," he whispered, the tears coming faster and harder now. "Forever and always."

He paused for a moment, almost hearing her voice in his head daintily reply, "Until the end of time Loki, I will always love you."

He smiled, shutting the casket for the final time, before he turned and walked out of the church and away from the love of his life.

Just the way you are.


End file.
